Medical Marijuana May Impair Thinking of MS Patients
Medical Marijuana May Impair Thinking of MS Patients
Study Shows Cognitive Impairment May Be an Issue for Long-Term Users of Medical Marijuana
March 28, 2011 -- Many multiple sclerosis (MS) patients use marijuana to ease pain and other symptoms associated with the disorder, but the practice might make one common symptom worse.
MS patients in a small study who smoked or ingested marijuana regularly for many years were twice as likely as non-users to show significant evidence of cognitive impairment when subjected to a battery of tests that measure thinking skills.
The study was published in the journal Neurology.
Study researcher Anthony Feinstein MD, PhD, of the Sunnybrook Health Services Center and the University of Toronto, says patients who use marijuana risk exacerbating these symptoms.
“Whatever benefits patients feel they might be getting from smoking marijuana might come at the cost of further cognitive compromise,” Feinstein tells WebMD.
A Visual Guide to Multiple Sclerosis
Former talk-show host and multiple sclerosis patient Montel Williams is a daily marijuana user and a vocal advocate for the legalization of medical marijuana.
Williams has lobbied lawmakers in more than a dozen states, and he tells WebMD that medicinal marijuana gave him his life back after narcotic pain drugs like morphine and OxyContin almost shut down his liver and kidneys.
He delivered the same message in an episode of the syndicated medical program “The Dr. Oz Show,” scheduled to air this week.
“I have had this diagnosis for the last 10 years and I have also continued to be a contributing, tax-paying member of society,” Williams said. “[Marijuana] is what has allowed me to continue to work and continue to pay taxes.”
The study included 25 MS patients who reported smoking or ingesting marijuana regularly for many years and an equal number of MS patients who did not use marijuana. The two groups were matched for age, sex, education level, IQ before diagnosis, level of disability, and duration of MS.
Feinstein says the study did not include patients who took synthetic cannabinoid, such as the pill Marinol, because these treatments did not have a psychoactive component and patients tend to prefer the real thing.
Medical Marijuana May Impair Thinking of MS Patients
Study Shows Cognitive Impairment May Be an Issue for Long-Term Users of Medical Marijuana
March 28, 2011 -- Many multiple sclerosis (MS) patients use marijuana to ease pain and other symptoms associated with the disorder, but the practice might make one common symptom worse.
MS patients in a small study who smoked or ingested marijuana regularly for many years were twice as likely as non-users to show significant evidence of cognitive impairment when subjected to a battery of tests that measure thinking skills.
The study was published in the journal Neurology.
Study researcher Anthony Feinstein MD, PhD, of the Sunnybrook Health Services Center and the University of Toronto, says patients who use marijuana risk exacerbating these symptoms.
“Whatever benefits patients feel they might be getting from smoking marijuana might come at the cost of further cognitive compromise,” Feinstein tells WebMD.
A Visual Guide to Multiple Sclerosis
Advocate of Medical Marijuana
Former talk-show host and multiple sclerosis patient Montel Williams is a daily marijuana user and a vocal advocate for the legalization of medical marijuana.
Williams has lobbied lawmakers in more than a dozen states, and he tells WebMD that medicinal marijuana gave him his life back after narcotic pain drugs like morphine and OxyContin almost shut down his liver and kidneys.
He delivered the same message in an episode of the syndicated medical program “The Dr. Oz Show,” scheduled to air this week.
“I have had this diagnosis for the last 10 years and I have also continued to be a contributing, tax-paying member of society,” Williams said. “[Marijuana] is what has allowed me to continue to work and continue to pay taxes.”
Marijuana Use and Mental Performance
The study included 25 MS patients who reported smoking or ingesting marijuana regularly for many years and an equal number of MS patients who did not use marijuana. The two groups were matched for age, sex, education level, IQ before diagnosis, level of disability, and duration of MS.
Feinstein says the study did not include patients who took synthetic cannabinoid, such as the pill Marinol, because these treatments did not have a psychoactive component and patients tend to prefer the real thing.
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